While perusing the web last month, I somehow came across a Valentine’s Flash Fiction contest. On a whim, I entered. And I won!
This isn’t the type of thing I normally do.
To be perfectly honest, I didn’t even remember entering until I got an email saying I won.
Yet, this seemingly small thing has had a huge impact on my life.
Since winning, I’ve bought a small villa in Italy where I now focus on my writing full time. Was that believable? It’s not true. The prize money wasn’t quite enough for all that. But what winning did do was give me a much needed boost in my confidence as a writer. It seems like I’ve been stuck in agent search limbo for forever (It’s only been a year – but still. I want what I want and I want it now.).
The struggle to allocate my free time between writing another novel, writing more short stories, editing, tweaking my queries and synopsis, submitting, submitting, submitting, all while trying not to stalk the agents who have requested my manuscript in bated anticipation of a positive response is EXHAUSTING! Some days, (more and more often, lately), I wonder if there isn’t a better use for my spare time than pursuing a writing career that may or may not happen.
Then this happens. I win a contest. A small victory, but a huge relief. Maybe I’m not wasting my time. Maybe I can write this thing called a story after all.
I’d like to send a HUGE thanks to Black Ink Contests for choosing my story as the winner of their 2016 Valentine’s Flash Fiction Contest. If you’re interested, the winning story can be found here.
Are you in need of a boost? Their next contest opens March 5th – what are you waiting for? Go for it! Enter here.
Shannon Hollinger 